Women's Footballer of the Year Candidate Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they became the first British team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading England to the defence of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the FWA's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

She scored twelve league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I know I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the big games come around, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the last-eight game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the squad, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that whole day was just being very composed, like we knew we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we trusted the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"As players in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. I think that you have to be OK securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the competition but Russo was also a constant threat in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side outside of her goals distinguishes her.

Team-mate a teammate regularly played forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got in tight, she used her body well to win free-kicks, assisting the side gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, she is regularly able to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and such phases in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.